Lillyanna
by laenamoradadeROGUE
Summary: When Harry is offered a job position in International Magical Games and Sports, he does not hesitate to leave Britain after so much has happened. But he wants one person by his side. "Neither Ron nor Ginny is who you or I want to spend forever with"
1. 12 Grimmauld Place, May 1998

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

 **Summary: _"_** _Neither Ron nor Ginny is who you or I want to spend forever with."_

 **Chapter 1. 12 Grimmauld Place, May 1998**

She had not seen him in five days, no, was it six? She made a mental calculation. Six. It didn't feel like a relationship was supposed to feel. Not that she had much to compare it with, but at least Ginny was always here with Harry, even if it was nagging at his nerves. She gave them a lot of space.

She sighed in frustration. This whole Ron and Hermione thing was really not what she had imagined it to be. Hermione was staying at Grimmauld Place, as was Harry, but Ron stayed at the Burrow, claiming that he was fed better, they both let him go. Ginny, on the other hand, wanted to live at Grimmauld Place but her mother would not allow it until Harry and her were married. When Ginny told her, Hermione had snorted. She was still there every other day and most nights and from all the sounds she heard in their room… she was no more a virgin than her.

But they had it worked out. Living in Grimmauld Place with Harry was comfortable, they did not worry about the other a lot. They had their own space. They shared breakfast, either he cooked some pancakes or she did some scrambled eggs. To each their specialty. Hermione had been going regularly to Hogwarts to help with the rebuilding, came back home, ate with Harry whatever delicious food Kreacher had made them. He carried Master Regalus' locket everyday, and was actually nice to them. Harry went twice a week to help the rebuilding at Hogwarts, since his Auror training and studying magical sports had his schedule quite full. Hermione was also studying: Magical Healing and in her spare time she looked over old history books in the Black Library. The were both happy living in Grimmauld Place. Ginny was a welcome addition, but Ron seldom visited.

It had been two weeks, three days and thirteen hours when it clicked to Hermione. If he is my boyfriend, why does he never come to spend time with me? She could barely remember him kissing her since the final battle. She considered for a few moments, but yes, he hadn't even snogged her since. She considered she should take the initiative and went looking for him. She went to the Burrow first. She flooed over and Arthur was in the kitchen having his morning tea.

"He went over to Grimmauld Place yesterday and has not been back" Arthur said without lifting his eyes from the Daily Prophet. Hermione skipped asking Molly the same question and looked at the family clock. Ron's hand pointed towards… in was in between home and lost, which Hermione felt was not the usual position. She had a bad feeling about this, but decided to go and check at the Ministry.

She was heading for the Floo of the Burrow when the flames flared and he appeared. Molly was still in the kitchen, but Mr. Weasley was still behind her reading the paper. Ron was holding his shoes and tie, his clothes were very wrinkled and he did not carry his broom from Qudditch practice yesterday. She looked at him puzzled for a few seconds.

"Morning, Da" he said first, afterwards noticed her standing close to the fire.

"Hermione, hey, what are you doing here?" he asked. She pressed her lips together, unable to think of something worth saying. Ron's ears started to tell a story as they started turning red and pink. Hermione saw the guilt and realized she did not want to know.

"Ron?" Mr. Weasley suddenly interrupted, "I thought you had practice in half an hour" he said.

"Why are you here?"

"Um, I just came by for some clean clothes and breakfast." He did not dare add in that Kreacher was most cranky today, as he usually said, because maybe he wasn't and Hermione was in front of them.

"Kreacher did not make breakfast, again?"

"Oh, he didn't" Hermione suddenly found her voice. "Kreacher has not cooked for the whole week, has he?" she cast a hurtful glance to Ron followed by a softer one to Mr. Weasley. "At Grimmauld Place, I have been making breakfast all week, but then again, you haven't been there all week, so you wouldn't know, Ronald" she said. She was relatively calm, and only added with a bit of acid in her voice: "Honestly, it would be a great favour for me if you kept not coming." She said, and with that she left the house.

She got home and was strangely relieved. It was over. She did not need him, and clearly he was sleeping somewhere else, she did not care if he was sleeping around, or simply fell asleep at work, or at a bar. What made sense was that he never wanted to do anything with her and that he was lying to his parents that he was. She was spared further details, and he seemed to care little enough to actually try to follow her.

She spent her day by a window in the library, without crying, but making a lot of decisions in her head.

ҩ

Harry came home around six. He was furious.

"Damn her!" he said as he slammed the door, muttered the phrase to make Dumbledores trap disappear and made Mrs. Black start screaming. He pointed a Silencing spell towards her and made his way to the kitchen to find Hermione. The table was ready and Kreacher said they had meat pies for dinner. His stomach growled, but when back to the library to call Hermione to eat.

He found her in the library, but she was looking rather pale and stared through a window, no book in hand.

"Mione?" he asked. She did not react. He softly touched her lower arm and she looked his way.

"Hi. Ron and I broke up." She said as if commenting it was cloudy out. Harry twisted his face, and then asked.

"What happened?"

"I came to the realization that he is never around, so I went to look for him to tell him that we ought to change that, or stop being together. I went looking for him at the Burrow, and he was just arriving too. Apparently, he was going there because Kreacher did not make breakfast today". Harry's mouth formed an O. Hermione nodded and sighed.

"So I told him to stop coming here anyways."

"Where was he?" Harry asked.

"I don't…" she wondered off. "Care"

Harry looked at her, she seemed strong willed. Not quite a mess, but maybe relieved.

"Harry, you don't look so well either, did you and Ginny have another row?" she asked, knowing well that that was the case, yet slyly asking him. As far as she could tell, even with the distance she gave them both, they had great sex but that was about the only thing they did not argue about.

"Yeah, all of a sudden I feel that what she wants and what I want are very different things, and I am not sure if I can give her what she wants." He admitted, he sat in front of her.

"What does she want?" she asked softly, more out of courtesy than curiosity.

"Money, riches, attention, fame… those things that I have tried to stay away from all my life" he sighed, too. She stood from her high backed chaise, a very expensive thing which was probably centuries old, moved closer and grabbed his hand. She sat on the armrest, and stroked the hair out of his face, a motherly gesture. "Sometimes I wished it was just us" he said softly, and held tightly to the hand she placed in his.

"You know I would do anything for you, Harry" she said, knowing how true it was. He laughed and she finally lightened up about the events of this morning and joined him.

"Hey, I went to see Snape today." He said.

"How is he" she half-heartedly asked, but her heart skipped a beat. She knew he was okay, he was

alive. She knew deep inside that he was alive, a certain heartstring would pull on her soul of he was in suffering, and it would break if he died.

"Well, he was not very happy to see me, particularly now that I know about my mum and him. The history between them. I think that he thought he was not going to make it, because he seemed a little… touchy about it. Then we talked about the Dursleys, Aunt Petunia, who he called an eavesdropping jiraffe. I had to agree. Then he told me how the anti-venom he had once supplied for Arthur was what saved him. He asked for you, in his usual way," she raised her eyebrows. "How's the know it all? Still insufferable?" Hermione smiled softly.

"Under different conditions, I would have loved to apprentice in potions with him. But I love healing, too" she said. He smiled and nodded too.

"He doesn't seem up for working at all. And now McGonagall is Headmistress. Everything is going to be different now." He paused, somewhere between an encouraging pause or a dramatic pause, then he sighed. "My chief of department mentioned some options abroad that might be interesting. It would help to go away from all the attention in Britain. I want to take it" he said, it was easy to tell her,

"Where?"

"It would start with Paris, then Barcelona" he said.

"Are you going to take it?" she asked

"Only if you come with me" the proposition laid there, thick in the air. They stared at each other. Harry looked away first, taking a chance on a deep blink of hers.

"What about Ginny?" she asked.

"She'll understand." He said, even though he was most certain the opposite was true. He simply no longer cared and wanted to get away.

"Are you sure that this is what you want?" she asked him. He turned to face her completely.

"More than anything, you are the one that gets me, who I can be myself with, who I know loves me unconditionally and I love you too."

"I do love you, Harry, I just think… the Weasley's have been like a family to us" she said, hoping he understood that she loved him, as her best friend, even if that could grow.

"Yes, but neither Ron nor Ginny is who you or I want to spend forever with" he replied back, softly, not throwing it her face, simply stating the truth and she also nodded softly, suddenly a warm tear left her face. He brushed it away. He kissed her cheek and they stared into the depths of each other's eyes.

"Okay." Her voice rose, but not out of fear, but rather confidence. He just smiled and hugged her.

"This is wonderful, we can leave in a week." He said. "You're gonna love Paris"

"I'm gonna make you keep your word on that, Harry" he looked at her. He had looked at her that way before, but for a moment she felt squirmy under his scrutinizing gaze. She was about to ask him what it was, when he closed the short distance between them on the couch and kissed her.

The kiss felt wonderful. At the beginning her lips tingled. Then her fingers and toes and it slowly made her way through all her body, warming her. Her hands went to frame his face. He slowly backed out, then hugged her, pushing her head into his chest where he grabbed her protectively.

"They say that after a long traumatic even with someone, either you love them and can't spend the rest of your life without them or that persons brings back all those fears and you never see them again" Harry whispered to her. "To me, you are that first option." He said.

"You too, Harry, you too" she said softly.

"You're amazing, just amazing" he said, taking her hand, knowing deep inside that he never wanted to let her go.

That night, everything changed.

ҩ

"You are what?!" Ginny Weasley turned on the man she thought was her boyfriend, soon to be husband.

"I am not in love with you, Ginny. I tried to love you, but what we want in life are different things." He explained to her.

"No, you want what I want, you want to make me happy" she almost screamed in his face

"No, I want you to be happy… without me." He replied. He knew Hermione was nearby, probably listening, not that it was too hard with Ginny's screams, but he needed to do this alone.

"I don't believe you" she snarled at him.

"I'm sorry, this is just not how I pictured our lives becoming" he said.

"You'll never get another witch in Britain if I have any say about it" she threatened.

"About that…" Harry started off. "I'm leaving the country. I got a job offer abroad" he said to her. She gaped at him, twice she seemed that she wanted to say something but was lost for words. She shook her head, her face got red, and then she slapped him across the face.

"I don't know you, Harry Potter" she said to him. And with that she turned on her heel and left the room, she was in such a foul mood and knew that the answer would be her mother's help… she would get him a love potion or something to make him see her way.

"She'll know what to do, he is mine, I won't lose him" she mumbled to herself as she headed to the exit of number 12 Grimmauld Place.

She failed to notice Hermione Granger sitting peacefully on a large armchair, cuddled up with a book that had long ago been set down to favor listening in to their conversation. Silence was thick in the air.

"Hermione?" Harry called out to her when a full minute had passed after Ginny slammed the front door in her tantrum.

"Yes, Harry?" she called back. He came out of the study room and squeezed in next to her in the armchair, she wiggled to accommodate the two of them. He hugged her, and soon started to cry. She held him, no words were necessary.


	2. 15éme Arrondisement, Paris, France

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

 **Chapter 2. 15éme Arrondisement. Paris.** **France May – August 1998**

She would forever think of those lights. A room with a view of the Eiffel Tower, or Tour Eiffel as it was called in French. She had visited France several times growing up, but mostly Vichy, Lyon, Loire, the countryside. The room in France was a modern structure, with a large window that allowed them to see the Tour that was not so far away. She insisted they visited on their first day in Paris. He agreed, and they had snogged a bit under the eminent arquitecture, as well as some more from the top, seeing the rest of Paris look tiny.

She would always remember their first night in Paris, and their first time together. He was sweet, he did not rush, and there was something she had not experienced before. They made love a few times that night, and then settled to sleep wrapped in each other.

They settled into a routine, he had to be at work at 9 am, they woke up, shared a shower, had breakfast and then she would have the morning all for herself. She alternated between muggle and wizard libraries, and stayed away from the French Ministry for Magic, their fame had followed them, but it was not as impossible as it was in England.

She made friends, muggle and wizard alike, from people she saw everyday. The young lady from whim she bought a baguette for breakfast, Eleanor. A few acquiantances when she bothered to be friendly. In the three months of being here she had become close with two witches that befriended her over her afternoon tea. Clara and Hyacinth were beautiful, tall, slender, and smoked. While Clara had blue eyes the tone of lapiz lazuli, ice cold jewels, and black hair that reached her derriere, she was the first to laugh always. Hyacinth had brown eyes, leaning towards amber in hue, and blonde almost white hair, which reminded her of Fleur. Hyacinth had laughed when Hermione mentioned the delaCoeur girl. Turns out, they actually are cousins, on their mothers side. They had tea every Thursday, and sometimes another day in the week if their schedules allowed.

Since on the long run Harry's job would keep them traveling, she needed a line of work that she could also take with her. She knew French, and for the time being she worked as a freelance translator, writing for wizarding companies and as a translator and tour guide in the muggle world. It allowed her to express her knowledge, to be an "insufferable know it all" in a position where that was exactly what people wanted.

They would be in France for four months. When the notice came that they would be changing in a month, nothing changed, at the beginning. The packing was slow, and asides from clothes they did not have that many belongings.

Hermione had been thrilled that she bought new clothes, she had been far too thin after their time on the run. Finally having her hollowed out cheeks fill out with delicious french boulangerie. She enjoyed beakfast food the most: pain aux raisins, croissants avec fromage. Harry had a weakness for crêpes with nutella and strawberries that they bought every other day at the Champs-Elysee. He was also gaining weight, looked healthier. Asides from food, another enjoyment was shopping. Harry had never actually gone to buy himself clothes, and Hermione was happy spending an afternoon in a shop. An afternoon in Champs- Elysees was the shops and the crêpes. He bought t-shirts, trousers, button downs, shoes (he had had a single pair of shoes his entire time at Hogwarts) and delved into the wizarding section and both bought casual robes, a first in either of the wardrobes.

ҩ

Hyacinth looked positively radiant in the snug dress she was wearing today, baby pink and strappy. Hermione smiled at her.

"I have great news to tell you!" she said. Hermione and Clara smiled expectantly at her. "Etienne and I are finally pregnant!" She joyously said, her hand reaching for her abdomen. Hermione dropped her cup, it crashed to the floor, her eyes going wide.

"Bloody hell" she said.

"Congratulations!" Clara exclaimed at the same time.

"Reparo" Hermione quickly muttered. She grabbed the cup, scourgified the table automatically and then proceeded to place her hands on both sides of her face in shock.

"Hermione, aren't you happy?" Clara nudged her,

"Oh, yes, I'm so sorry, Hyacinth. I'm thrilled for you. Congratulations. I just realized something" she said, unsure what to think of this new realization. Was it a good thing to be pregnant?

"Are you pregnant?" Hyacinth looked pointedly at her abdomen.

"I'll go home and check," she replied. "But my period has been gone for over a year, from the times of camping and at some point it stopped coming. I just figured it was because I was so skinny. My body couldn't afford to… menstruate." Her voice tangled, and she looked around considering Apparating from exactly where she was before the started to hyperventilate.

"But surely it has come back! You've been here and eating quite right for a while now." Clara dubiously answered.

"Yeah, it should have come back, I agree. Only it has not" she replied.

Clara stuck her hand in the air and asked the garçon to bring them the check. "We are all going to buy you a muggle test and a wizard test. The muggle test is infallible, and the wizard test will corroborate the magical levels and the sex" Hermione mutely nodded as they helped her to her feet.

Twenty minutes later they were at her house, waiting for the tests to be ready. She had already peed on a stick and the wizard test was calibrating her core magic.

Harry found the three women in his kitchen waiting.

Hermione paled when he arrived, and opened and closed her mouth like a fish several times, not sure how to explain.

"Hi," he ignored her pale complexion, and greeted Hyacinth and Clara before kissing Hermione and allowing her to explain. He knew them, but had never seen them at their apartment before.

"You look pale, love" he asked. Hermione looked behind her to the counter were the tests were waiting. Harry glanced towards where she was looking at.

 _Pregnant. Magical. Female._

"I'm pregnant" she managed to cough up the words, and then started to cry. Harry took her in his arms, and then glanced towards her friends.

"I'll take it from here, femmes" he asked nicely and they left. "Thank you"

"When? How?" he asked after he heard the front door close. They had had sex a few times since arriving in Paris.

"I don't know" she sobbed into his chest.

"Had you taken any sort of contraception?" he asked, not really remembering watching her take a potion nor perform a charm.

"No, my period was gone since October last year, it never came back…. But," she took a deep breath, tried to control her breathing and continued. "Hyacinth announced today that she was pregnant. I would not have noticed otherwise."

"Love, I'm thrilled to have a family with you. And our child will have everything she will ever need. Now, we should go to St. Siméon and check everything, get planning, see how far along you are too." he said to her. She nodded. He took her to bed, and she fell asleep quickly against his chest, he would get an appointment in the morning.

Ҩ

Dr. Guerin received a young couple, british, and expecting. The couple also happened to be some sort of celebrities back in Wizarding Britain. She had heard some stories, but honestly she did not really keep up with international news, her work kept her busy, and she dealt with a lot of loss and sadness already. The both looked healthy, she had curly brown hair and he had unkempt black hair and a scar across his forehead. Lightning bolt shaped, how curious.

She asked Hermione about her family history of sicknesses, her mothers birth, her own sickness and her menstrual cycle. That was the point where the story got difficult.

"My last period was in October" she replied. She started making numbers, if her period was in October, nine months later… birth would be around last month.

"Come again?" she asked.

"I had lost a lot of weight, and my period stopping coming. It hasn't come back yet, but I already have my normal weight back. It should have come back my now… So, a friend mentioned she was pregnant… and well, I guess it clicked then" she replied.

"Right. Ok. Don't worry. There are other methods asides from your last period to determine gestational age." She asked Hermione to lie back in bed, checked her uterine height, which gave her 14 cm, and measurements of the head and abdomen gave her 12 weeks. Both were nutritionally fine.

"Okay, you are over three months, you are already in your second trimester, which means the gestational age is less trustworthy than if it had been noticed during the first trimester. You are barely starting your second trimester, you are fourteen weeks along. Based on this, you will most probably have your baby at the beginning of February next year, from my current calculations February twenty, but there is a two week window for that date, can be one week before or one week after. And you are both perfectly healthy. Just make sure to keep gaining weight, Hermione" she explained. Her husband seemed relieved. She started a prenatal care card for the couple, and instructed them to take it to each of their next visits with an obstetrician.

"Um, we move to Barcelona next week," her husband said.

"Don't worry, Mr. Potter, these cards are used in the whole continent, they are protocol and any obstetric can follow up" she replied.

"She can perfectly well travel by Apparition, Floo, Portkey or any means. She might sometimes grow tired in the later months, but for the time being, just be safe" he told them. Finally Hermione seemed to smile at that.

"Would you like to hear your baby's heartbeat?" she asked.


	3. Las Ramblas, Barcelona, España

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

 **Chapter 3. Las Ramblas, Barcelona, España.** **September 1998 – February 1999.**

The air tasted different. The breeze was cool, salty, refreshing. Her hair was a bloody mess, always tangled, more so than usual and the humidity had curled it more than ever. He looked at his girlfriend, with mixed feelings about the wind painted across her face.

Their towel had been spelled to keep sand out, and they sat silently, laying on each other watching the shades of magenta as darkness started to surround them. Regrettably, the sun set in the other side of the Iberian Peninsula.

He liked this position better. The Spanish Ministry of Magic had a different work ethic than the French. He worked from nine to two, after that it was "siesta" and he only had afternoon shift once a week, on Tuesdays. So he was able to spend more time with Hermione.

Neither of them knew Spanish when they arrived, but most of his colleagues knew either French or English. Everybody was very welcoming to them.

"Harry?" Hermione asked him.

"Hmmm" he replied, a bit dozed from being at the beach. The warmth, plus laying his head on her lap had a certain effect. Their apartment was hotter than being on the beach most days.

"Give me your hand," she asked, he complied, and he felt their child kick for attention. He smiled. Her belly had started to show shortly after arriving in Barcelona.

Originally, they were scheduled to stay in Barcelona until January, but Harry managed an extension all through February to not risk the birth being while in between moving. He had informed of their pregnancy to his immediate boss in England, Felix Edwards, superintendent of Magical Games and Sports and one third of the European Comission of Magical Games and Sports. He was truly happy for them. Asked him when they would tie the knot, and realized he had no idea. It would take time, and probably after their daughter was born.

Here in Barcelona Hermione got a position sorting books as an aide in the Ministry's Library. She said it was more work but less demanding than what she did in France, and her swollen ankles were grateful to be working at a desk most of the day.

They spent time shopping, eating and Hermione positively glowed half of the time. The healers had said it was safe to keep having sex until one month before birth. They enjoyed the lack of restrictions. They bought baby clothes. They discussed names.

Hermione's mom's name was Monica, but her middle name had been Anna. Harry proposed Lily the first instant.

"What about Peony? A flower name like your mum and aunt, but its not exactly giving her the same name" Hermione proposed. They had bought a baby names book for the occasion, or rather the debate. Each day the birth was closer and they were no closer to choosing.

"Marie?" Hermione proposed. "Too French" Harry replied, he was cooking dinner while Hermione rummaged through the book.

"Laura, Laurel, Lyanna" she murmured, unconvinced.

"Well, give me more flower names." he proposed.

"Well, there's Rose, but I don't like it that much. Hyacinth" she shrugged, his back was to her and did not notice.

"We already know a Hyacinth"

"And we already know a Pansy, you don't see me recommending that name." she teased.

"Haha, true" he replied.

"Amortentia" she replied, having skimmed back to the beginning of the book.

"That's a potion name." he shook his head. That was not going to fly.

"And it can be a baby name too." she stuck her tongue out at him.

"No. If I let you name her that when we have a boy you will want to name him Wolsfbane… or, God forbid, Polyjuice" They both laughed.

"Flowers… Well, Flor is spanish for flower, Fleur is french, oh here's a group! Azalea, Acacia, Briar-Rose, Chamilia, Dahlia, Daisy, Delilah, Indigo, Jasmin, Lotus, Narcissus, Poppy, Rose, Rosemary, Viole –

"Not. Poppy. We agreed we would not repeat names" he said. "And Hell No Narcissa" he said.

"I like Briar-Rose" she commented.

"What about something that can honor my mother but not be Lily? I dont know, a combined name. Like Briar-Rose or Annamaria that is actually two names in one." he suggested.

"LillyMonica?" she proposed, knowning how preposterous it sounded.

"Lillyanna?" he counter proposed.

"I love it" she said. He finally turned from the stove,

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes" she glanced at her belly. "Lillyanna." she spoke.

"See, little girl, you finally have a name! And Daddy chose it!" he smiled proudly, kissing Hermione soundly as he proclaimed it.

"Good, because I will be due any moment now. It's less than a month, if I actually do give birth on the 20th" she said.

"See. We managed on time." She smiled, kissing him back.

ҩ

"Breath, love" Harry asked her softly.

"It bloody hurts!" she exclaimed at him.

"I know, love, but they already returned us once from the hospital saying it was too early." he softly moved the hair stuck on her forehead from sweat. He was keeping time, he had paid attention to everything the Obstetric had said. Contractions within five minutes of each other. If there was blood or her water broke, it meant a puddle of liquid. Hermione breathed beside him. He placed a hand on her belly and the other on her shoulder.

He felt the next contraction before she called out in agony again. That was three minutes.

"Do you want me to get you some water?" he asked her.

"Yes" she gritted out, he left to get a glass from the kitchen and also brought a wet cloth for her face. When he came back she was in the middle of another contraction.

"You know," Hermione said, she was in between contractions nows, "I read" she took a deep breath, "that sex" another breath, "can hu-," breath, "hurry this."

"I see, so you want it out or in? Because that was not clear at all" he joked. She started to laugh at his terrible joke, but it quickly transformed from pleasure to contraction when the next one hit.

"Well, let's go, love. Trust me, if they turn us out again I will make a scene. And the contractions are quite frequent."

"Yes!" she thanked in relief. He helped her off the bed, and she walked on her tiptoes and bending forwards a bit. She took one step and Harry heard it rather than saw it.

"Shit." she said, and looked down.

"Don't worry, love" he said, cast a simple Scourgify charm. "That means they have to receive you know. They can't send you back now"

"Awesome" Harry was not sure if that was sarcastic or not.

They already knew the way. There was a specific section for Maternity, which was off to the side from other kinds of emergency consults. It was great. It meant pregnant women were not exposed to people that arrived from potions explosions with dangerous fumes, nor exposed to unusual substances.

"Mr. Potter! Back so soon?" Healer Serrano greeted them. They had been in three days ago, the same night after deciding on their daughter's name.

"Hermione's water broke a minute ago, and she has been having a lot of contractions. Seven in the last twenty minutes. I counted" he said proudly.

"Hmm. Come with me," the healer asked Hermione to a room where he asked her to lie down and open her legs. Harry stayed by her side, the healer performed a few diagnostic charms, then proceeded to place two fingers inside her vagina, do a routine and quick revision.

"Don't worry, Mr. Potter. All is going well. Its still about five to eight hours from here, but we are not sending you home. Her cervix is 3 centimeters dilated, and I actually felt the head. When was the date of your last period?" he asked Hermione. She was not in the middle of a contraction, but by Harry's count one was not seconds away.

"Unreliable last period" they said together.

"On our first visit the obstetric healer calculated… ugh," Hermione started to explain but got cut off by the contraction Harry had seen coming.

"A due date for february 20, and she was already in the second trimester at the time." Harry finished for her.

"Or maybe even one week earlier," she added after the pain subsided.

"Hmm. Don't worry, thirty seven weeks is nothing to worry about." the healer replied.

"Do you prefer to sit, crouch or lay down, Ms. Granger?" he asked.

"Which one hurts less?" she asked.

"None" he replied honestly.

"Which one is faster?" she asked

"Crouching" he responded, hoping she was going to ask that. Not many people asked for the crouch, preferring to be on their backs.

"I'll take crouching then." He magicked the cot into a different position, and measured along with her to make sure that she was comfortable.

"I'll be right back, I need to contact the Paediatric healer for arrival"

"Are you sure you're going to do this crouching, love?" Harry asked.

"Yes, I am comfortable, I also read that his position has less sequelea for my pelvic muscles. Its a very common technique for a very long time." He stood besides he and grabbed her hands,

"I love you" he said, and kissed her briefly.

Another contraction hit her.

Healer Serrano came back. He brought with him several instruments and a bag full of liquid.

"This is saline solution, I am going to add a small dose of painkillers that will go directly to your spinal chord, you will feel, but the pain will be less by the time the head crosses though not for the contractions. All right?" Hermione nodded.

"Alright. You can lay back now"

"What?"

"Oh no, Ms. Granger you will crouch when the moment comes, and it will be swift and efficient, as I promised, but you don't have to do that for the next five to eight hours that will take to wait the natural process"

"Five to eight? Is there no way to make it go faster?" she asked urgently.

"Not from now on, Ms. Granger" he said knowingly. "I'll be checking on you every hour, I'll be back soon."

ҩ

 _Gestational age 37+3 weeks. 2800 grams, 47 cm length, 33 cm head circumference, cried without assistance, no obstruction on the oesophagus nor the rectum on birth exploration, eyes closed, by Capurro method (standard in Spain) she was 39 weeks old at birth, no observable lesions. No cyanosis nor jaundice is observed. Adequate posture. Primitive reflexes present and normal. Fontanelle without abnormalities. Normal arrhythmic heart rate without audible murmurs. Normal respiratory rate without retractions nor other data of respirator insufficiency. Abdomen soft on palpation, no masses, umbilical cord without secretion nor blood. All four extremities with adequate mobility, Barlow negative, Ortolani negative, palms and heels with descamation. Thick, wrinkled skin, slightly incurved pavilion, palpable mammary gland. Apgar 8 / 10._

The healer described Lillyanna Potter Granger as vigorous and pink in the Obstetric Card, was born at 6 am, February First, 1999 to parents Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Regulation EU Vaccination were applied within the first twelve hours of birth. Magical core was tested and no anomalies were evident at the moment.

"Perfectly Healthy" Hermione admired her daughter's first medical records. "See, baby, that's you" she said. Lillyanna and Hermione looked picture perfect in Harry's opinion. And his daughter had quite an appetite. She slept and ate for the moment, but she was tiny and beautiful. When she was not eating, she was sleeping in her father's arms. Hermione looked at the two of them that had squeezed themselves into her bed. Harry had chosen her first set of clothes, brought nappies and a Gryffindor red onesie with yellow trimmings.

"Healer Serrano says that she will most probably open her eyes tomorrow, and that around midday a healer in training will come to check on you and her" Harry commented to Hermione, without bothering to take his eyes off his daughter.

"She's ours" he smiled at their baby.

Hermione smiled. She re read the physical examination once more, and it all looked perfect to her. 39 weeks old at birth… That was wrong, she had been born a bit early rather, but she said nothing. She couldn't even if she wanted to.


End file.
